It’s one thing when the government takes their cut from your paycheck, but it’s something entirely different when a government subsidized company is allowed to outbid a private company and screw people out of a job. I am talking about the Calgary Stampede being in bed with the Canadian Broadcasting Company.  For 4 years, a very talented crew of television production personnel worked with the Stampede to bring viewers around the world the very best the Rodeo and Chuckwagons had to offer.  This crew worked for a privately owned production company that was put together specifically to cover the Stampede.

in 2007, the powers-that-be at the Stampede overspent (by a mile) their budget.  They wanted to move into high definition, and heaven only knows what else they misspent their budget on - and didn’t really increase the fees that the Rightsholders had to pay for hilights and information regarding the Stampede.

Well, in January of this year, along comes the CBC and tells the Stampede that THEY want to come back to cover the Stampede and they want to be the Host Broadcaster too.  That means that CBC shoots all of the events and each television station that pays a Rightsholder fee, has access to the footage.

The Stampede allowed the CBC to underbid the private company and was willing to accept a bribe…oops I mean percs, in return for a 3 year contract.

Here’s my question…why is a government owned company, paid for by our tax dollars, allowed to swoop in and take the paychecks away from “ordinary” citizens.  It’s time the CRTC (Canadian Radio Television Commission) stepped in and put an end to this. The CBC has been getting away with this for far too long, and the CRTC needs to put a stop to this dispicable conduct.  The CBC crews are the highest paid, underworked people in TV.  They are allowed to outbid private broadcasters for Hockey and any other event they think they want.

They have taken more than $5,000 from my income this year, because they are greedy and have no business being in business.